Giving Witness of the Messenger

When we give witness of the Messenger as in Shahada, ‘I bear Witness that Mohammad (pbuh) is a messenger of Allah’, do we give the witness of the Messenger of Allah as Allah described him in Al-Quran or are we giving witness of a historical figure of Mohammad pbuh from sources other than Quran?, there are no sources as reliable as Quran and also Quran warns in 23:69, that do they not recognize their Messenger?. If we are holding on to a personality of the Messenger which is different from what is described in Al-Quran, then we are not witnessing for the Messenger of Allah but to a different personality of Messenger which is a historical figure. In order to believe in the correct personality of Mohammad PBUH, we need to believe that personality of Messenger which is depicted in Quran. Some people are so much into the other personality of the Messenger of history, that when Ayas of Quran are presented to them about true personality of Messenger Pbuh, they just refuse to believe in those Ayas.

Sura Munafiqun 63:1 informs that when Munafiqs/Hypocrites come to the Messenger, they witness that he is the Messenger of Allah. However, Allah witnesses that indeed he is the Messenger of Allah but indeed the Munafiqs/hypocrites are liars.

It is possible that a person is not telling a lie but what he is saying is not true. This could be because of his incomplete knowledge about the subject. Similarly it is also possible that a person is telling a lie but what he is saying is actually true, that could also be because of the person’s incomplete knowledge of the subject. For example an atheist believing there is no God, states that ‘Bible is not the book of God’. What he is saying is true that Bible is not a Book of God, however, he is lying as in his perception there is no Book sent by God as God does not exists and He cannot send a book therefore.

When the Hypocrites come to you, they say, “We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah.” And, Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars.

The Unbelievers say. “You are not sent (by Allah).” Say. “Enough for a witness between me and you is Allah, and the one with knowledge of the Book.”

The above Ayat states that in order to give witness of the Messenger, one must have knowledge of the Book.

Giving witness of the Messenger without the knowledge of the Book will be tantamount to giving witness of wrong personality of Messenger which is not described by Allah in his Book, but rather which is developed through historical accounts and heresay.

21:107 وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ

We sent you not, but as a Mercy for all worlds.

The Messenger of Allah is mercy for all the people. Therefore he would not be attacking or killing people in Holy wars, or committing genocides of a particular community. If any books give such account they must be false.

68:4 وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ

And you are on an exalted standard of behaviour/character.

The Messenger is on an extremely high level of character. One way of assassinating the character of the Messenger is to ascribe him to be fond of marrying under-aged girls. A person on a high standard of character for all times (whose character is exemplary for all times not restricted to particular time in history) will not be marrying under aged girls as any reasonable person can tell. Those who believe in these accounts attributed to the Messenger are true should reflect, will they like to follow this practice in their families and communities?

23:69 أَمْ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا رَسُولَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَهُ مُنكِرُونَ

Or do they not recognize Their Messenger, that they deny him?

The personality of the Messenger is not to be recognized and witnessed from historical accounts of his words and practice. His personality should be recognized from the Book. Those people who take great inspiration from the ‘Golden Words’/ Aqwal e Zarrin/ Zukhrufal Qaul, are stated to be actually enemy of the Prophet.

And likewise ,We have made for every Prophet the shayateen/satans of mankind and the shayateen/satans of jinkind an enemy, some of them inspire golden words (as sayings of prophets) on some, for the purpose of delusion, and if your Lord had willed they would have not done it, so leave them and what they have invented.

Below are some of the Ayas which describe aspects of the Messenger’s personality which is the true personality of the Messenger as per Al-Kitab. However, the Shiateen who want to disguise the personality of the Messenger of the Book, with another personality (Historical Messenger) normally would not propagate these Ayas as they want to present a different (surrogate) personality of the Messenger. Some of these Ayats are given below:

O people of The Book! There has come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much that you used to hide in The Book, and passing over much: There has come to you from Allah a light and a perspicuous Book,

The Messenger exposes from the Book, which people usually try to hide.

Please consider these Ayas, which gives true personality of the Messenger from the Book. If you reject any of these personality trait and believe in other personality traits of the Messenger than instead of believing in the Messenger of God you may be believing in the Messenger of ‘other’ books:

Say. “I have no power over any good or harm to myself except as Allah willeth. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I should have multiplied all good, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings to those who have faith.”

The Messenger does not possess the power to bring good or bad fortune for himself. He does not have the knowledge of the unseen. He is a warner and bringer of good tidings for the believers.

Say. “I am but a human like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your God is one God. whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the service of his Lord, admit no one as partner.

The messenger is a bashar/human being like other human beings with all Bashari/human implications. This fact should not be painful to the believers that he is not a super human. Believers should work for good deeds for their salvation instead of expecting intercession by Messenger.

And Likewise, We have inspired you the ROOH/THE SPIRIT from our order, you did not have the perception, what is THE BOOK and the BELIEF, but We have made it light, We guide with it whom We will from Our servants. And surely you guide towards the straight path.

Allah inspired the Rooh/the Spirit (of the Words of Quran). Before this inspiration of the Spirit, the Messenger did not know what Al-Kitab and what Iman/belief is.

so, if you (Mohammad) are in doubt from what We have revealed to you, then ask those who are reading AL-KITAB/THE BOOK from before you, definitely there has come to you the truth from your Lord, so do not become from the doubtful ones.

People have been reading Al-Kitab from before as this Al-Kitab was given to all prophets. It is the spirit of the Book that the Messenger transfers into the people.

Then, it may be that you (the Messenger) will give up part of what is revealed to you and your breast will become straitened by it because they say: Why has not a treasure been sent down upon him or an angel come with him? You are only a warner; and Allah is custodian over all things.

Messenger feels human emotions and his heart feels constrained and somewhat inclined to leave part of the Wahi/inspiration because of the silly things unbelievers say to him.However, Allah strengthen his heart with His Kalamats/words to remain steadfast with the revelation.

They did not value ALLAH as He should be valued. When they said, “ALLAH did not reveal anything to a person.” Say, “Who then sent down THE BOOK which Moses brought, with light and guidance for the people?” You made it to pieces of paper, you show something while concealing a lot of it. You were taught what you never knew-you and your parents. Say, “ALLAH (revealed it),” then leave them in their heedlessness, playing

Some people complain that certain personalities deserve more valuation than people value them. This they say according to their sectarian beliefs. However, Allah here declares that they don’t value Allah as He should be valued, when they do not consider the Messenger as Bashar/human. Many people consider the Messenger as a super Bashar, not like any other Human/Bashar with all human strengths and weaknesses that humans have. Some even consider the Messenger as incapable of committing any mistake. So, this Ayat exposes these beliefs.

Say (O’ Mohammad) “I am no bringer of new doctrine among the Messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I follow but that which is revealed to me by inspiration; I am but a Warner open and clear.”

The messenger does not give glad tidings of Jannat to his companions. Instead he says that he does not know what will be done with me or with you. He only follows the inspiration to him.

53:3-4 وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ

Nor does he say of (his own) desire. It is only the Wahi/inspiration sent to him.

Messenger does not add from his desire any thing to the Wahi/inspiration. He only conveys the Message which is inspired to him.

This (Quran) sent down from the Lord of the Worlds. And if the Messenger were to invent any sayings in Our name, We should certainly seize him by his right hand, And We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart:

Messenger only states what is Wahi/inspired on him, i.e Quran (as mentioned in 12:3), if he were to say other Aqwal/sayings about Allah, Allah would catch him and cut his jugular vein.

Allah forgave thee! Why didst thou grant them until those who told the truth were seen by thee in a clear light, and thou hadst proved the liars

In his normal life the messenger is like a normal human being that is he is not being controlled by Wahi in all matters. He may make mistakes in decision making about normal life for which Allah may admonish him as in 9:43. However, in matters of conveying Wahi/Quran and its Spirit, Messenger does not make a mistake.

We opened/disclosed for you a clear/evident opening/victory. So, that Allah may forgive you (the Messenger) of your sin of the past and that to follow; fulfil His favour to you ; and guide you to the straight way.

Messenger can do mistakes and sin, which Allah will forgives after showing him a clear/evident opening/victory and guiding him to the straight path.

When you (the Messenger) see people engaged in vain discourse about Our Ayats/signs, turn away from them unless they engage in a different discourse. And If Satan makes you forget, then after remembering, do not sit in the company of Zalimeen/those who do wrong.

They had almost led you (the Prophet) away from what has been revealed to you, that you may invent things about Us besides those revealed, then they would have taken you as friend. And If We had not kept you steadfast you had almost leaned towards them. In that case We would have made you taste a double punishment of life and a double of death, and then you would not have been able to find a helper against Us for yourself.

People also with their constant persuasion may have caused the Prophet to incline towards their preferences if Allah had not made him steadfast in what has been revealed to him.

(The Prophet) frowned and turned away. Because there came to him blind one (in perception). But how would you know that perchance he may purify himself. Or that he remembers/takes heed, and the remembrance might profit him? As to one who regards himself as self-sufficient (does not care much), you give him attention, though no blame on you if he would not purify himself. But as to him who came to you striving earnestly, and with fear (in his heart), to him you were unmindful. By no means (should it be so)! For it is indeed a reminder/advisory, for any one who desires to bear it in mind.

The prophet may falter in his judgment of giving attention to the right persons for delivering remembrance.

And the Messenger will say, O my Lord! Surely, my people took this AL-QURAN and abandoned it.

If we believe on the personality of the Messenger from other books, we will believe him to be intercessing for us on the day of Judgment. However, if we believe in the personality of the Messenger from Quran, than we will be aware that the Messenger will be complaining to Allah, about his Ummat holding the Quran as if like abandoning it.

He who obeys the messenger, obeys Allah. But if any turn away, then We have not sent you as a watcher over them.

To follow the messenger means to follow Allah. Allah has made the Quran mandatory on messenger (28:85 إِنَّ الَّذِي فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لَرَادُّكَ إِلَىٰ مَعَادٍ ). Messenger is acting on all dos and don’ts in Quran. To follow the messenger of Allah is to follow the Quran and not to follow what other books tell about what messenger used to do.(Remember, Quran is protected by Allah by divine intervention, not history)